admissions
We can help every step of the way
Whether you are looking to join us from a local school or abroad, transition can always be challenging. However, we have support and expertise on hand to help you every step of the way.
We will be happy to help you by arranging for you to visit the school, either at one of our 'Open House' events or for a personal tour during the school week.
We look forward to hearing from you and guiding you through our application process.
Entry Requirements
We will request reports from previous schools. Pupils will also be interviewed by senior members of staff. The admission of a pupil is conditional upon our terms and conditions.
Admissions Process
The first step of the application process is to enquire online or to contact the admissions department.
The British College of Andorra is an international school and as such is open for admissions the whole year round, subject to places being available in the requested year group.. We are always delighted to meet with parents and show them around the school.
FAQs
Applications are processed according to space availability. We always encourage parents to apply as we accept applications throughout the year.
9.00 am to 16.15 pm for Primary, and 16.30 for Secondary.
250. We will open Year 13 (‘Sixth Form’) in September 2024
Our target class size is 20 students per class and one class per year group. Classrooms are sized and equipped correspondingly. Some classes are smaller, and from Year 10 onwards, students are increasingly split into smaller ‘option’ groups.
80% are from Andorra or Spain, and 20% from other nations worldwide.
The UK Early Years Framework, followed by the English National Curriculum. For Years 12 and 13, we offer the IB Diploma Programme. Please see our Curriculum and Subjects pages for more information.
The courses studied at BCA allow students to change to any other public or private school in Andorra, Spain and the United Kingdom. BCA has signed an agreement with the Government of the Principality for the recognition of their studies.
The great majority of academic staff teaching the English National Curriculum are qualified British teachers. All are fluent in academic English with strong experience of British education. Those teaching Spanish, Catalan and French languages are qualified teachers in the respective languages.
We take children with no English between the ages of 3 and 4 years. There are a limited number of places for non-English speaking Primary pupils between the ages of 6 and 9 of proven academic ability. From the age of 10, new pupils must have a high level of English to enter the school. This can be assessed by a short test/trial day at the school, during the admissions process.
On the whole most of our students speak Spanish in the playground. Because of this, we find that new children joining the school with little or no knowledge of the language learn it very quickly.
All students at BCA study Catalan. Spanish is compulsory up to the end of Year 9. Non-Spanish/Catalan speakers receive specific lessons as a foreign language. Additional French and Spanish tuition can be provided through the After School Activities programme.
French. From the Early Years to Year 9, all our students learn French, after which it becomes an optional subject.
Yes, Information about summer school is usually published around February-March.
BCA is able to offer a wide range of sporting activities
This depends on the age of the student. As a general rule, in Early Years children will start to bring home reading and number homework during Reception.
In Lower Primary children will be expected to read regularly at home (English and Spanish), they will have weekly spelling words to learn and will be set some basic maths homework, much of the homework will be set using online resources.
In Upper Primary pupils are expected to read regularly (English and Spanish), they will have weekly spelling words to learn and will be set maths and Spanish homework. Much of the homework is linked to the English National Curriculum, and will be set using online resources. On occasion children will also be set project homework linked to the topics being studied.
In Secondary, students are set purposeful, relevant homework tasks on a regular basis. In Years 7-9 pupils should expect to be doing no more than ½ hour – 1 hour of homework a night. In Years 10 and 11 the amount of homework would increase to 1 – 1-½ hours.
In Years 12 and 13 students must take much more responsibility for their own learning and should expect, as a minimum, to be studying 6 to 8 hours a week per subject. If homework is not set they should use the time to review past content or read around their subject.
Year 11 take IGCSE examinations. We are a candidate school for the IB Diploma, with examinations at the end of Year 13. All students are regularly assessed and their progress tracked.
Students at BCA are used to welcoming newcomers and are always very friendly and helpful. Year Group tutors make sure that “buddies” are always on hand to support new students.
All students from Nursery to Year 11 are required to wear a uniform. There are separate uniforms for daily wear and physical education. Years 12 and 13 have no uniform but need to follow a dress code. Uniforms may be bought from Betes i fils in Sant Julià de Lòria.
A wide variety of afterschool activities and clubs are on offer for Primary and Secondary students.